Can we make a KLF greatest hits by committee? (more mp3s)
There's been a lot of discussion the last three or four days, some of which I'm finding difficult to follow, so here's my thoughts, for clarification: (1) I do have misgivings about a "wiki" compilation, or one made by committee. We're just going to end up with a tracklist that pleases no one. That's why a scientific rationale, where tracks either reach or don't reach criteria, is the best way to go. We may grumble, but if we agree criteria, and a track doesn't make it - then it doesn't go onw. So far we have to basic ideas for criteria - (1) all the single edits, or (2) the rarest KLF mixes, with the rarest KLF disc of all ("Deep Shit", presumably) going on first, followed by the second (KLF4M?), the third (KLF6T a-side?), the fourth (ETERNA 1?), the fifth (KLF92PROMO3?) etc etc. I can't see a compilation we all agree on being created any other way. (2) There is another option - we all burn our own compilations. Each one of us choose their own tracks, make their own artwork, and burn 20 copies each. Each one could still have the same sleeve notes, only a different tracklisting. It would be nice if we numbered our compilations (starting at number "23", of course) so people out there got an idea there were thirty or forty different KLF mix CDs out there! "Gotta collect them all" as Pokemon used to say. If we DO make out own compilations, though, we'd have to agree on (1) a day of the year when we all distribute them (and ONLY on that day), and (b) some ideas for interesting distribution. (3) Personally, I think us all burning our own compilations might get a bit complicated, and stop the CDs being a "limited edition" free distribution thing. I still REALLY like the original "Truckstop Jams" idea (which I believe was mine - cough!) Basically, this should be as lowest common denominator as possible. A CD for the punter in the street (or in the petrol station amongst the "Club Mix 07" CDs) - someone who remembers the KLF, or has heard of them through mentions by newer bands, or just wants a CD with a funny "Doctor Who" song on it. And for the public - it HAS to be the singles, and pretty much nothing else but. Okay, the KLF re-released loads of tracks (all the different mixes of WTIL and 3AM Maarten mentioned earlier on) but wasn't that part of the KLF's charm? It was the remixing obsession of the 1980s taken to its logical conclusion - re-releasing the same song four times in nine years! And good though the albums are - the casual greatest hits purchasers has NEVER really wanted to wade through the backwaters of a back catalogue. So: A CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF RADIO EDITS IS WHAT I'M WANTING. Basically. (4) Other people seem to worry about just concentrating on the "KLF" era. I can understand why people might be reluctant to start a compilation with early JAMs stuff - but for people who have never heard it (unlike us, who've heard it hundreds of times) I'm sure the sound of Bill's Scottish rapping and the witty, piss-taking sampling could be a revelation! It certainly was for me the first time I heard "The History of the JAMs" back in 1992. And in any case, there's only four JAMs tracks and then we move on to the Timelords (which REALLY has to be on there!) and then the KLF "proper". Post-KLF projects have of course been so few that it would be churlish not to include them - especially since two of them were singles. In the end, it doesn't really matter what Bill and Jimmy called themselves for any particular recording (and weren't "Whitney" and "Burn the Bastards" technically KLF tracks anyway?) - it's all Drummond and Cauty work in the end. And that's what we're celebrating - 20 years of that (to us) incredibly important creative partnership; not just JAMSLP1 or "the KLF" or whatever. So, I have reworked Paul's tracklisting again (great to finally have his mix of "Whitney" btw!). I've removed the Possum Mix of AYNIL, and replaced it with Ivum Naya (Ibo Version) - the version of AYNIL from the 7" JAMS23S; I've taken off the 3'30 "Tardis" and replaced it with the 2' 23 "video edit" mix from KLF3CD UK video CD; I've removed "Disaster Fund Collection" and "WTIL Power Mix Edit"; I've replaced the US radio edit of AWTIL (4'00) with the UK radio edit from KLFUSA4CD (3'30); and I've added the Extreme Noise Terror "3 AM" (KLF5TOTP). Here's the full tracklisting: (1) Ivum Naya (Ibo Version) (2) Whitney (Paul's Edit) (3) Downtown (4) Burn the Beat (Possum Edit) (5) Doctorin' the Tardis (UK Video Edit) (6) What Time is Love (Evit Edit) (7) 3 AM Eternal (White Room OST Edit) (8) Kylie Said to Jason (9) Go To Sleep (10) Madrugada Eterna (Club Mix Edit) (11) What Time is Love (trancentral Edit) (12) 3 AM Eternal (SSL Edit) (13) Last Train to Trancentral (Lost Continent Edit) (14) It's Grim Up North (Edit) (15) Justified and Ancient (Stand By the JAMs Edit) (16) America: What Time is Love (UK Radio Edit) (17) 3 AM Eternal (KLF Vs. ENT mix) (18) K Sera Sera (19) The Magnificent (20) **** The Millennium (Uncensored Radio Edit) I've included "Go To Sleep" to provide a representation of an "edit version" of a Pure Trance "Last Train" (otherwise, it would only be featured once on the disc, which doesn't seem enough). Plus, it's an "unreleased track" (like "ME (Club Mix Edit)" - and ALL greatest hits need their unreleased tracks! "The Magnificent" is included, again in the grand tradition of Greatest Hits with a "previously only available on a charity compilation album" track included. We could even mention "War Child" (and a donation address) in the sleeve notes, if anyone feels awkward about using the track. One final thing. This CD is just over 74 minutes. If you only have a 74 minute CD, try and remove the gaps between tracks to make them fit. Alternative, there's room for one more track on the CD. I was wandering about "Disaster Fund Collection" or "Build a Fire" - as they're generally regarded as the best tracks on the two KLF "conventional" albums (JAMSLP2 & 6). Some greatest hits have "one album trick" as well - so it might not seem too odd to include one of these two tracks. Alternatively, we could just leave the tracklisting as it is. But I like the fact it's got 20 tracks on it - why not just call it "KLF 20" (or even just "20", with minimal cover art?) Oh, and the mp3s can be downloaded from here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y1SVPFDN
First of all it has to be the same CD we all distribute or it will just be crap. One thing, would it be possible to put a 3am track on as the first song so the CD starts off with the words KLF (ah ha ah-ha) so staight away the punter has the name KLF in his head. Also if anyone sees any TV show or hears a radio show where you can phone in, phone em up, lie to the operator, and once you are on air just say KLF the Truckstop Jams, or KLF have a new album coming out. If your anywhere waiting, like in a bank for example and they have a pen lying around maybe even a pad, if not anything paper will do write down 3 letters KLF. Just so the name is subliminally being placed into peoples minds. Keep on Trucking.... Elliott. ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Milne" <john@highlandland.fsnet.co.uk> To: "All bound for Mu-Mu Land." <klf@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 11:51 AM Subject: [KLF] Can we make a KLF greatest hits by committee? (more mp3s) There's been a lot of discussion the last three or four days, some of which I'm finding difficult to follow, so here's my thoughts, for clarification: (1) I do have misgivings about a "wiki" compilation, or one made by committee. We're just going to end up with a tracklist that pleases no one. That's why a scientific rationale, where tracks either reach or don't reach criteria, is the best way to go. We may grumble, but if we agree criteria, and a track doesn't make it - then it doesn't go onw. So far we have to basic ideas for criteria - (1) all the single edits, or (2) the rarest KLF mixes, with the rarest KLF disc of all ("Deep Shit", presumably) going on first, followed by the second (KLF4M?), the third (KLF6T a-side?), the fourth (ETERNA 1?), the fifth (KLF92PROMO3?) etc etc. I can't see a compilation we all agree on being created any other way. (2) There is another option - we all burn our own compilations. Each one of us choose their own tracks, make their own artwork, and burn 20 copies each. Each one could still have the same sleeve notes, only a different tracklisting. It would be nice if we numbered our compilations (starting at number "23", of course) so people out there got an idea there were thirty or forty different KLF mix CDs out there! "Gotta collect them all" as Pokemon used to say. If we DO make out own compilations, though, we'd have to agree on (1) a day of the year when we all distribute them (and ONLY on that day), and (b) some ideas for interesting distribution. (3) Personally, I think us all burning our own compilations might get a bit complicated, and stop the CDs being a "limited edition" free distribution thing. I still REALLY like the original "Truckstop Jams" idea (which I believe was mine - cough!) Basically, this should be as lowest common denominator as possible. A CD for the punter in the street (or in the petrol station amongst the "Club Mix 07" CDs) - someone who remembers the KLF, or has heard of them through mentions by newer bands, or just wants a CD with a funny "Doctor Who" song on it. And for the public - it HAS to be the singles, and pretty much nothing else but. Okay, the KLF re-released loads of tracks (all the different mixes of WTIL and 3AM Maarten mentioned earlier on) but wasn't that part of the KLF's charm? It was the remixing obsession of the 1980s taken to its logical conclusion - re-releasing the same song four times in nine years! And good though the albums are - the casual greatest hits purchasers has NEVER really wanted to wade through the backwaters of a back catalogue. So: A CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF RADIO EDITS IS WHAT I'M WANTING. Basically. (4) Other people seem to worry about just concentrating on the "KLF" era. I can understand why people might be reluctant to start a compilation with early JAMs stuff - but for people who have never heard it (unlike us, who've heard it hundreds of times) I'm sure the sound of Bill's Scottish rapping and the witty, piss-taking sampling could be a revelation! It certainly was for me the first time I heard "The History of the JAMs" back in 1992. And in any case, there's only four JAMs tracks and then we move on to the Timelords (which REALLY has to be on there!) and then the KLF "proper". Post-KLF projects have of course been so few that it would be churlish not to include them - especially since two of them were singles. In the end, it doesn't really matter what Bill and Jimmy called themselves for any particular recording (and weren't "Whitney" and "Burn the Bastards" technically KLF tracks anyway?) - it's all Drummond and Cauty work in the end. And that's what we're celebrating - 20 years of that (to us) incredibly important creative partnership; not just JAMSLP1 or "the KLF" or whatever. So, I have reworked Paul's tracklisting again (great to finally have his mix of "Whitney" btw!). I've removed the Possum Mix of AYNIL, and replaced it with Ivum Naya (Ibo Version) - the version of AYNIL from the 7" JAMS23S; I've taken off the 3'30 "Tardis" and replaced it with the 2' 23 "video edit" mix from KLF3CD UK video CD; I've removed "Disaster Fund Collection" and "WTIL Power Mix Edit"; I've replaced the US radio edit of AWTIL (4'00) with the UK radio edit from KLFUSA4CD (3'30); and I've added the Extreme Noise Terror "3 AM" (KLF5TOTP). Here's the full tracklisting: (1) Ivum Naya (Ibo Version) (2) Whitney (Paul's Edit) (3) Downtown (4) Burn the Beat (Possum Edit) (5) Doctorin' the Tardis (UK Video Edit) (6) What Time is Love (Evit Edit) (7) 3 AM Eternal (White Room OST Edit) (8) Kylie Said to Jason (9) Go To Sleep (10) Madrugada Eterna (Club Mix Edit) (11) What Time is Love (trancentral Edit) (12) 3 AM Eternal (SSL Edit) (13) Last Train to Trancentral (Lost Continent Edit) (14) It's Grim Up North (Edit) (15) Justified and Ancient (Stand By the JAMs Edit) (16) America: What Time is Love (UK Radio Edit) (17) 3 AM Eternal (KLF Vs. ENT mix) (18) K Sera Sera (19) The Magnificent (20) **** The Millennium (Uncensored Radio Edit) I've included "Go To Sleep" to provide a representation of an "edit version" of a Pure Trance "Last Train" (otherwise, it would only be featured once on the disc, which doesn't seem enough). Plus, it's an "unreleased track" (like "ME (Club Mix Edit)" - and ALL greatest hits need their unreleased tracks! "The Magnificent" is included, again in the grand tradition of Greatest Hits with a "previously only available on a charity compilation album" track included. We could even mention "War Child" (and a donation address) in the sleeve notes, if anyone feels awkward about using the track. One final thing. This CD is just over 74 minutes. If you only have a 74 minute CD, try and remove the gaps between tracks to make them fit. Alternative, there's room for one more track on the CD. I was wandering about "Disaster Fund Collection" or "Build a Fire" - as they're generally regarded as the best tracks on the two KLF "conventional" albums (JAMSLP2 & 6). Some greatest hits have "one album trick" as well - so it might not seem too odd to include one of these two tracks. Alternatively, we could just leave the tracklisting as it is. But I like the fact it's got 20 tracks on it - why not just call it "KLF 20" (or even just "20", with minimal cover art?) Oh, and the mp3s can be downloaded from here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y1SVPFDN _______________________________________________ KLF mailing list KLF@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/klf Report list abuse to list-abuse at studio-nibble.com
participants (2)
-
Elliott -
John Milne